Carrick sacked at Manchester United as £74m Sesko signing continues to disappoint

Michael Carrick has been sacked as Manchester United interim manager, with the club confirming his departure on Thursday morning after weeks of speculation over his future. Mauricio Pochettino is understood to be on the verge of replacing him, inheriting a disgruntled and underperforming squad.

Carrick took charge in January when he stepped in for Ruben Amorim, and one player he publicly backed to become a long-term cornerstone of the attack was Benjamin Sesko. The Slovenian striker, signed from RB Leipzig for £74 million, has struggled to justify that fee.

Sesko showed early promise under Carrick, scoring eight goals in 10 games during a purple patch that included a decisive late winner at Everton in February. Speaking after that result, Carrick was effusive in his praise. “He’s in a good place at the moment,” the then-interim boss said. “He’s going to be a big player for us for a long period of time, I’m sure of that.”

However, the 23-year-old’s season has been defined more by frustration than fulfilment. Sesko missed the start of the campaign after sustaining a shin injury in May, and while he managed an equaliser against Everton in the Premier League and netted in the 4-0 Champions League victory over Sabah, a second shin injury — suffered during a Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton in September — is expected to keep him sidelined until January.

With Carrick now gone, Sesko will face the task of convincing Pochettino of his worth. The incoming manager is expected to assess his attacking options quickly, and reports suggest he will look to strengthen in that area at the earliest opportunity.

Sesko’s Old Trafford career is far from over, but the gap between Carrick’s confident prediction and the striker’s current output remains a significant one.